MS in Translation (MST) graduate Carol Lujan has had an incredible journey since graduation. In this interview she shares new updates about her career and where her studies at NYU SPS have taken her.
Q: What kind of professional experience did you have before enrolling at NYU?
A: I worked as a Medical Translator for Yale New Haven Hospital and did some freelance work for various clients.
Q: What were some of the highlights of the program for you?
A: Knowledgeable faculty
Variety of course offerings: localization, translation tools, and terminology
The internship capstone
The support provided by my thesis advisor. I loved working with her. I learned a lot about translating a book, translation techniques, and translation processes.
Q: How did you find your current job? Was it your first position after graduating from the program?
A: I currently work for the company that I interned for. It was my second job after graduating. My first position after graduating was Foreign Language Analyst. A Spanish translation role became available at ICF, a global consulting services company, and since I interned for them previously and I was interested in their work, I applied and got hired.
Q: What do you like most about your job? In what ways is it a good fit for you in terms of your interests and skills?
A: My current job provides me with plenty of opportunities to learn about technological tools in the translation and localization field. I am currently getting trained on a content management tool and after that I will start with my training for Trados. The translation team also has access to different linguistic assets and a translation style manual. I love working for such a professional team. Also, my focus has always been medical translation and most of the translations I do in my role are medical and healthcare related.
Q: In what ways has your graduate degree prepared you for your current role, or for the job market more generally?
A: The skills learned and the experience gained in the program guided me through the path of professional translation and taught me about the different specializations within the industry. Before the program, I was only thinking about being a translator, but with what I learned I felt inspired to pursue a localization path, especially because nowadays written material is being published through digital means and because the translation process is now deeply influenced by technology. The program encouraged me to endeavor into more ambitious goals to advance in my career.
Q: Is there anything else you would like to share about your time in the program, or your professional experience since graduating?
A: I have to say that I am grateful to NYU for this program and I have no regrets about making the decision to graduate from it. It was not long after graduation that I had the opportunity to qualify for different translation jobs. My degree helped me to become a more appealing candidate to organizations with a translation or linguistic department. My degree not only looks good in my resume but the preparation I received reflects in the performance of the translation tests I have had to give during the recruitment process. I have qualified for those roles successfully and that shows that my instructors taught me well. My academic preparation at NYU played a significant role on my current professional status. I will forever be thankful to NYU, the translation faculty, and administrators.